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Senator Wirth. Mr. Weihing. 



STATEMENT OF WAYNE WEIHING, EMPLOYEE AT THE LP/KPC 



PULP MILL 



Mr. Weihing. Thank you, Senator. My name is Wayne Weihing, 

 I have been employed at Ketchikan Pulp Mill for 21 years and I 

 am here to voice my opposition to Senator Murkowski's bill for the 

 following reasons: 



I believe it is essential to have permanent protection for the vital 

 areas to protect the fisheries, recreation and wildlife. The Forest 

 Service has failed to implement the multiple-use concept on the 

 Tongass. For example, there is very little, if any, trail maintenance 

 for access to lakes and streams and some of the Forest Service 

 cabins have been eliminated and remaining cabins are being main- 

 tained by volunteer workers. 



I support Senator Wirth's bill because I believe that the changes 

 necessary to protect the Tongass will never take place unless the 

 automatic appropriation is repealed and the 50-year contracts are 

 terminated and replaced with short-term contracts. 



Now I do not intend for anyone to lose their jobs or put the in- 

 dustry out of business. My job is important to me as I am sure ev- 

 eryone whose job is related to the Tongass National Forest is im- 

 portant to them but I believe it is important and we just keep in 

 mind that the National Forest belongs to everyone in the U.S.A., 

 not the timber companies or the State of Alaska or any special 

 group. Because it is a national forest each person has a stake in 

 the Tongass, including myself. 



I use the Karta River, the Naha River and Prince of Wales 

 Island for hunting and fishing and recreation. To have the opportu- 

 nity to use these areas is why I came to Alaska and I want to con- 

 tinue to live in southeast Alaska. 



Legislative changes are necessary to finally bring responsible 

 management to the Tongass. As a worker in the timber industry, I 

 feel a personal responsibility to voice my support for Senator 

 Wirth's bill, with an amendment to grant permanent protection for 

 important fish and wildlife areas. 



Ketchikan Pulp Company's callous exploitation of the natural 

 Tongass is compounded by their callous exploitation of the work 

 force. As pulp mill employees, we have had our wages cut and our 

 medical benefits reduced and have been forced with the threat of 

 termination to work under unsafe work conditions. I would like to 

 retain my pride of workmanship and my personal dignity and I 

 thank you for the opportunity to testify. 



Senator Wirth. Mr. Weihing, thank you very much. I respect 

 enormously your coming this morning and testifying and realize 

 that often the situation in which you are working at a workplace 

 where people are advocating a totally different perspective and 

 some probably accuse you of endangering their jobs and their lives 

 with their wives and children — I appreciate your coming and I 

 want you to know that yours is the perfect example of what free- 

 dom of beliefs and freedom of political beliefs should mean in this 

 country. 



